This disclosure relates to poly(arylene ether) compositions, methods of making the poly(arylene ether) compositions and articles made from the poly(arylene ether) compositions.
Poly(arylene ether) resins, such as polyphenylene ether resins (PPE), are an extremely useful class of high performance engineering thermoplastics by reason of their hydrolytic stability, high dimensional stability, toughness, heat resistance, and dielectric properties. This unique combination of properties renders poly(arylene ether) based compositions suitable for a broad range of applications, which are well known in the art. For example, poly(arylene ether) blends are being widely used in the fields of automobile parts, electric parts, office devices, and the like.
Many poly(arylene ether) resin-based articles are manufactured by injection or other molding processes. In order to obtain good mechanical properties such as high modulus, different approaches have been tried, such as using fillers to reinforce poly(arylene ether) blends. Different types of fillers such as glass fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and various particulate fillers have been used. However, addition of these fillers can lead to brittle failure of the resin and can lower the impact strength of the resin. Where improved ductility has been obtained, such as in the case of aramid fillers, the modulus obtained is very low. In addition, use of fillers can present processing difficulties, due at least in part to lack of compatibility of the filler with the polymer matrix. Such incompatibility can also result in molding and flow-related problems.
Despite advances in the art and the success of many filled polymer compositions, there remains a continuing need for improved combinations of properties such as higher modulus, improved ductility, improved impact, and/or improved melt flow characteristics. Also it is desirable that the article has good impact resistance and ductility without the consequent loss of other desirable characteristics.